Lower Hutt Signalling History

This page documents signalling and track layout changes at Lower Hutt.

My Lower Hutt - Melling page descibes signalling on that section in more detail.

Home > History > Lower Hutt

Contents

The date is that on the S & I - not necessarily the date the changes were commissioned.

November 1905 New Station with two-position signalling. Lower Hutt to Petone duplicated.

March 1922 Three position signalling with upper quadrant semaphores commissioned south of Lower Hutt.

September 1922 Three position signalling with upper quadrant semaphores commissioned north of Lower Hutt.

October 1940 Lower Hutt Converted to three-position upper quadrant semaphores. New Prepare to Reduce to Medium Speed indication.

October 1945 Scissors crossover in east yard converted to two simple crossovers.

February 1954 Lower Hutt no longer on main line to the Wairarapa; no need for loop.

July 1958 Control transferred to Petone. Hutt Valley Junction to Lower Hutt section singled.

August 1983 All signalling and track structures removed.

1905

A new Troup designed station opened and Lower Hutt to Petone duplicated. A 40 lever mechanical frame (10 levers in a ground frame) was installed. Tablet on single line to north. Sykes Lock & Block introduced from Lower Hutt to Kaiwharawhara in 1909. I do not know how this section was worked in the intervening four years. Note the use of the designation Inner Home for what today would be called a Directing signal. Read the text of S & I 34 dated 7th November 1905.

1 Down Distant 17' 0"
2 Down Home Main Line 24' 9"
7 Control From Signal Box
10 (Ground Frame) Down Home to Loop 19' 9"

36 Up Starter Main Line 26' 0"
2 (Ground Frame) Shunt along Main 21' 6"
3 (Ground Frame) Shunt From Loop 13' 6"
4 (Ground Frame) Up Starter Loop Line 18' 6"

3 Down Inner Home Main Line 26' 0"
4 Down Inner Home Main To Loop 23' 0"
8 Down Inner Home Loop Line 26" 0"
9 Down Inner Home Loop To Main 23' 0"

38 Up Inner Home Main Line 25' 6"
37 Up Inner Home Main To Loop 22' 6"
34 Up Inner Home Loop Line 25' 6"
33 Up Inner Home Loop To Main 22' 6"

5 Down Starter 25' 6"
19 Shunt Main to Backshunt B 21' 6"
20 Shunt Down Main to Backshunt A 21' 6"
23 Shunt from Backshunt A .... disc

6 Down Advance Starter 19' 0"
39 Up Home Main Line 24' 0"
35 Up Home to Loop 19' 0"
40 Up Distant 17' 0"
31 Shunt from Backshunt B .... disc

March 1922

Upper Quadrant Semaphores Three position signalling with upper quadrant semaphores was installed south of Lower Hutt. Up distant number 40 removed - its function taken over by intermediate signal 730. 6 Down Advance Starter converted to power operation. Trains arriving at Lower Hutt MUST whistle on approaching the Home Signals. See the text of S & I 377. Note that on the diagram south is now on the left hand side.

Note that 730 was two position - did it indicate either caution or clear i.e. act as a distant?

I am guessing at the meaning of the semaphore symbols.

September 1922

Three position signalling with upper quadrant semaphores was commissioned north of Lower Hutt.

The Down Distant was removed. A power operated Up Advance Starter was installed (in effect the Departure signal). Lower Hutt remains a two-position station.

Read the text S & I 395.

October 1940

Roadworks To allow the construction of a new road to the west of the loop the signal box was removed. It was replaced with a 23 lever Westinghouse L frame in the station building. The station was resignalled with motor points and upper quadrant semaphores. Lower Hutt was a permanent Signal Cabin.
New Indication A new Prepare to Reduce to Medium Speed indication was introduced. The S & I circular stated that a "caution" indication on the top unit and a "clear" indication on the bottom unit is not a Signal Imperfectly Displayed. See the text of S & I 577.

Number	Description	Indications	Number	Description	Indications
1	Down home	Normal Speed to Main	11	Permission Lever	Siding Switchlock
		Medium Speed to Loop	12	Spare
		Low Speed from Main	13	Shunt	Low Speed from Backshunt
2ABC	Down Main Directing	Normal Speed to Main	14	Crossover	Main & Backshunt
		Medium Speed to Loop	15	Shunt	Low Speed from Goods Yard
		Low Speed from Main	16	Spare
3AB	Down Main Starter	Normal Speed to Down Main	17	Shunt	Low Speed from Down Main
		Low Speed to Backshunt	18	Crossover	Main & Goods Yard
4ABC	Down Loop Directing	Normal Speed to Loop	19	Crossover	Up Main & Main
		Medium Speed to Main	20ABC	Up Main Directing	Normal Speed to Main
		Low Speed from Loop			Medium Speed to Loop
5ABC	Down Loop Starter	Medium Speed to Down Main			Low Speed from Main
		Low Speed to Backshunt	21A	Up Main Departure	Normal Speed to Main
6	Points	Main & Loop	21BC	Up Loop Departure	Medium Speed to Main
7	Crossover	Main & Loop	22ABC	Up Loop Directing	Normal Speed to Loop
8	Crossover	Main & Loop			Medium Speed to Main
9	Spare				Low Speed from Loop
10	Crossover	Loop & Main	23ABC	Up Home	Normal Speed to Loop
					Medium Speed to Main
					Low Speed to Goods Yard

October 1945

Scissors crossover in east yard converted to two simple crossovers. (S & I 612).

February 1954

The loop and scissors crossover were taken out of service. The Down Starting semaphore was replaced with a colour light signal but some semaphores remained. Lower Hutt, which was no longer on the main line to the Wairarapa, was a permanent signal box which also controlled 9 Down Departure (Melling).

The S & I was issued following the closure of the line north of Melling. The document included the following paragraphs:

For the time being the loop and other track connections at Lower Hutt not shown on the diagram will remain and turnouts not in use wil be secured for the running road.

For the purpose of lifting disused track north of Melling by work trains "All Trains Stop" boards have been provided for trains in both directions. Permission to pass these boards must be obtained by telephone from the Lower Hutt Signalman.

The Up Home signal at Melling worked automatically - the low speed indication was cleared on the approach of each train whether the Melling platform is occupied or not. The Down Starting signal at Melling (9) is classified as a Departure signal. See the text of S & I 690.

1AB	Down Home	N.S. to Main Line
3	Down Starting	N.S. to Down Main
9	Down Departure (Melling)
13	Shunt from Backshunt	L.S. to Goods
15	Shunt & Down Starting	L.S. to Main or Backshunt
17	Shunt from Down Main	L.S. to Main Line or Goods
21	Up Departure
23ABC	Up Home	M.S to Main Line L.S. to Goods
24AB	Up Home (Melling)	L.S. to PLatform

July 1958

Control of Lower Hutt was transferred to Petone. For the purposes of the Rules & Regulations Melling, Lower Hutt and Petone were one interlocked station under the control of the Signalman Petone. Petone was a permanent signal box. The Down Starting signal at Melling was reclassified from a Departure to an Outer Home. Hutt Valley Junction to Lower Hutt singled. Was this when last semaphore was removed?

August 1983

Lower Hutt Yard closed. Just 80 Down Outer Home From Melling and 78 Down Home From Melling left on the Branch (S & I 1969) - see my Lower Hutt - Melling Signalling page. North now at right of diagram.

Last Updated: Wed Dec 6 16:45:29 NZDT 2006